LAX worker who died while carting luggage is identified

Workers place packages onto a jet at Los Angeles International Airport, where a luggage hauler was struck by a vehicle and died Friday.

Workers place packages onto a jet at Los Angeles International Airport, where a luggage hauler was struck by a vehicle and died Friday. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Matt Stevens

The worker at Los Angeles International Airport who was killed early Friday while driving a baggage cart was identified by coroner's officials as a 51-year-old Los Angeles man.

Cesar Valenzuela died early Friday when he fell out of the baggage cart and was struck by a “tug” cart. He was traveling on a service road about 5 a.m. when he either had a medical issue or lost control of the vehicle, airport officials said.

Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics found him unconscious and were unable to revive him, airport officials said. Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said Valenzuela was declared dead at the scene.

An investigation into the incident was ongoing Friday, but LAX officials said no flights were affected.

Valenzuela’s cause of death had yet to be determined pending an examination, Los Angeles County coroner's Lt. David Smith said.